Women in Deep-Tech Startups in Slovakia: Challenges and Opportunities

The role of women in deep-tech startups in Slovakia is currently a pressing topic. These companies are among the key catalysts of innovation, yet women remain underrepresented in them. Official statistics from the Slovak Business Agency (SBA) show that as many as one-third of Slovak startups were founded by women. Despite this, they receive access to funding at only about 1% of the total volume of startup investments. This imbalance clearly highlights the need for systematic changes and support.

International reports, such as the State of European Tech Report 2023 by Atomico or the EIT Supernovas Digital Female Ventures study, confirm that the problem is not unique to Slovakia. Across Europe, the share of investments directed toward startups founded by women is significantly lower compared to male teams. That is why gender equality has become a central issue in European innovation policy.

In Slovakia, several individuals are actively addressing the role of women in innovation. Martina Lisická from Women4Cyber Slovakia emphasizes the need for greater female representation in cybersecurity and IT. According to her, “women belong in cybersecurity” and can bring a different perspective to solving complex challenges. Her work demonstrates that diversity is not just a matter of fairness but also a way to improve the quality and efficiency of technological solutions.

Elena Kováčová from SBA points out:

“Women make up a third of startup founders, but deep-tech financing is still heavily skewed toward men. Public support helps, but growth requires private capital.”

This is echoed by Petra Nováková, CEO of AI-medtech:

“Grants helped us get started, but measurable results and global ambition were what convinced VCs.”

Another interesting indicator is the Top Women of Slovak Business 2025 ranking and the Forbes 30 Under 30 2025 list, where many women connected to innovation and startups were featured. These awards not only highlight the importance of female leadership but also inspire young talented women to pursue their own deep-tech projects.

Among the inspiring leaders from these rankings are Darina Štyriaková, founder of Ekolive, innovating for global farmers; Diana Virgovičová from Xatoms, supported by the founder of Reddit; or Veronika Hudzíková of FaceRehab and Michaela Šišková of DNA ERA, both previously recognized for their startups.

According to the EPIC-X Catalysts Rollout Report, Slovakia is part of a broader European effort to support women in innovative ecosystems. Within this project, of which SAPIE is a member, platforms are being created to connect female founders with investors, mentors, and other stakeholders—strengthening not only local but also European collaboration.

The Slovak startup ecosystem is gradually professionalizing, and new support programs are emerging, but structural barriers remain—from access to investment, to mentoring, to balancing entrepreneurship with family life. The perspective from Slovakia is therefore twofold: on one hand, there is a dynamic community of women entrepreneurs, and on the other, persistent obstacles that limit the full development of their potential.

The outlook for the future, however, is optimistic. Growing attention from international programs, cooperation with European initiatives such as EPIC-X, SCALE’HER, and HER FUND—which support female leaders—suggests that Slovakia could become a visible player on the map of women-led deep-tech innovation in the coming years.

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This article was written in collaboration with Slovak Alliance for Innovation Economy. For more information about their work visit SAPIE’s website.